Borderlands

There were plenty of delicious Borderlands announcements at PAX East today, but those who weren't present for the revelry may be feeling left out. Thus, a treat is in order! Gearbox was apparently handing out SHiFT codes, which give players access to special golden keys. Predictably, golden keys open golden loot chests. Also predictably, golden loot chests have rare loot inside. Seeing a pattern?

The nice thing about these codes is that they can be used by an unlimited number of players until they expire, so when someone posts a code online—like Redditor TripleRPD did this afternoon—they can be shared throughout the community. These codes (one for each platform) seem to be active still, but just in case, it's best not to delay.

• PC/Mac: W3WJ3-3JXTT-6RW5T-SB53B-XJBX9
• 360: K3KJT-6HRT5-BHRTT-3BBTJ-RBWJ9
• PS3: 5JKBJ-H5WCF-KWST6-K6BJB-FZ9BJ

If you haven't already done so, you can sign up here to get more golden keys. This post explains how in greater detail. Happy looting!

Free BL2 Shift code from PAX East! Unlimited uses, enjoy! [Reddit]

Gearbox has been pulling this stunt at PAX East this weekend, and today during their panel they showed this video of a whole bunch of people getting punked.

I'll tell you one thing: if I ever see a Dr. Zed vending machine in a mall in Baltimore, I'm staying the hell away from it, no matter how much incendiary damage I've suffered.

Gearbox showed off a little trailer that looks like Tiny Tina is playing something of a Dungeons and Dragons-esque board game, but Brick, Mordecai and Lilith aren't quite understanding her rules.

Could this teaser trailer—shown off during Gearbox's PAX East panel today—be hinting at upcoming DLC? An official Borderlands 2 board game? A mobile spin-off? A sequel where it's just you playing against Tiny Tina in board games?! Gearbox isn't telling yet. But when I officially know, you'll know.

Tiny Tina's game is called Bunkers & Badasses. Roll for initiative!

Gearbox announced a new playable class at their PAX East panel today, but now you can see the psycho bandit in action, in-game.

Check out the devs playing as Krieg in the video above.

Axe-swinging, dynamite-throwing...wow. He looks awesome and ragey and I want to play.

Here's some more:

Gearbox's last Borderlands 2 loot chests were such a hit, they decided to make a new version to match the style (aka diamond plated) of the in-game chests in the sequel.

It's a collaboration with Think Geek, and they're only releasing 5,000 of them.

The chests will be stocked with new content, including redeemable in-game legendary weapons or items that will scale to your character's specific level. It also comes with a Goliath mask that you—your real, fleshy self—can wear, as well as a Shift code (found on the back of your mask) to redeem a customizable Goliath head for your in-game self. There's some art in there, too: wanted posters for each of the original vault hunters.

It'll be available in May for $99.99 on Think Geek's site, or ShopGearbox.com (for international folks, you can pick one up at forbiddenplanet.co.uk).

The next character class in Borderlands 2 is a big, bad, psycho (you know, one of those bandits you shoot and kill all the time) named Krieg. An ex-psycho bandit that you can actually play as.

Gearbox has been teasing the next playable character class for Borderlands 2—a hulking, silhouetted baddie—since SXSW. But we finally got a few new details about the guy today at Gearbox's PAX East panel.

Krieg's main action skill is melee-based as we suspected, and it incorporates his Buzz Axe. When you attack with the action skill activated, Krieg swings his buzz axe at an enemy to get his full health returned to him. Of course, you can tweak the skill trees to your liking, but that's basically how it will work.

The DLC character will be available sometime this May for $10.

Update: We've got the teaser trailer up above, but we also got a bit of info on the skill trees for you in the images below. Sorry for the not-so-perfect angle:

If you've played Borderlands 2 to completion and then played it through to completion a second time on True Vault Hunter Mode, and you're still looking for more, you'll be happy to hear that the game is getting something of a new game plus plus mode.

It's called Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, and you'll have to be at level 50 to run through on what will essentially be a third playthrough. This official third playthrough means, of course, that the difficulty will be scaled much higher. Gearbox announced the news today at their PAX East panel.

The update comes out next week on April 2. Best news, though? It's a completely free update.

Top image the excellent work of mentalmars

At Gearbox's PAX East panel today, the developers of Borderlands 2 announced that players maxed out at level 50 will finally be able to get to leveling their characters again. As of April 2nd (next week!) you can download what is basically DLC for 11 extra levels (that's up to 61).

But it'll cost you $5 for the add-on, unless you've got that nifty season pass.

The add-on will also come with the return of the Pearlescent weapon type, which was a set of high-level weapon drops and an extremely rare find in Borderlands 1. We haven't seen this weapon type in the sequel yet, but if you download the add-on next week, you might see it pop up here and there if you're lucky to find one of those crafty little guns.

Top image

So this is what's happening right now before Gearbox's PAX East panel, where our own Tina Amini is standing by to report any and all further shenanigans live as they happen.